A High-Stakes Gamble

Detective Darlene O'Hara of the Seventh Precinct and her partner, Serge "K." Krekorian, set out to find Pena. But when the case turns high-profile and Homicide is called in, O'Hara—who has an eighteen-year-old son she saddled with the name Axl Rose O'Hara, and whose binge drinking exacerbates the massive chip on her shoulder—refuses to let go. Risking both her and K.'s careers, she defies NYPD brass and Homicide legend Patrick Lowry to secretly pursue her own investigation.

A Desperate Chase—and a Chilling Twist

Following a deadly trail that leads from NYU's ivory towers to Brooklyn tattoo parlors, from a skanky strip club to a whitewashed boutique run by a Korean madam, O'Hara closes in on her prey. But she has to move fast, because Lowry and the NYPD are about to make a devastating mistake that will leave the real killer free.

My Thoughts:

This book had been languishing in my TBR for the better part of 6 months and I was in the mood for a mystery, so I finally pulled it out.  The author previously co-authored books with James Patterson, so I was anticipating great things, like Andrew Gross had done on his own.  I was highly disappointed.  There was just something missing from this book, but I can't really put my finger on it.  It's a well thought out police procedural with a surprise ending, but it lacked the fast-paced twists and turns I am used to reading from Patterson.  I almost stopped reading it a few times, but after I got to about page 50 or so, it started to pick up a bit.

It's a decent mystery, but it just didn't do much for me.  There were parts of the story that really bothered me on a personal level which also added to my negative feelings about the book as a whole.  If you like cop books, you will probably enjoy this.  It was just a bit boring for me.

My Thoughts:

Cracked Up to Be is the story of Parker Fadley, a mean-spirited perfectionist who has a huge secret that is destroying her “perfect” life. This is a quick and easy YA read, and, although I could feel for Parker at times, I did not find her character very likeable. I thought, at first, that she was being mean to people because she didn’t want anyone to be close to her due to her "secret". But, as I continued to read the story, I got the impression that she was always a bit mean-spirited and the situation she found herself in just made it a worse.

I really enjoyed how this story was told, from present-day conversations and issues, to flashbacks of the night her life changed forever. It really tied together nicely and I found it a very compelling way to tell the story. I applaud the people around Parker who were trying very hard to help her, even though she keeps pushing them away. I could relate to Parker’s panic and anxiety attacks, even though she didn’t want to readily admit that that’s what was happening to her! Her nervous tick was also very interesting! You could really tell that she needs intensive help to deal with her issues.

Overall, this was a good story about how your “perfect” life can change in an instant. I would have liked a bit more information on her “secret” and about the ending of the book. I can’t say what exactly without giving away the story, though!! I just want to know exactly what happened in the aftermath of the “secret”. Coming from a teen’s point of view, this story was especially interesting and I found it very believable. I would definitely recommend this book to any YA fans!

Beyond a dozen exercises for each day of the week this book will include many other of Denise's dozens for each day.

This is a great fitness/nutrition book that is easy to read and is laid out very nicely.  I'd recommend it to anyone looking to start a new fitness/nutrition regime.  If you can spare 12 minutes a day, then Denise Austin has a plan for you!  This book gives lots of tips, descriptions, and pictures to help you on the path to a healthier lifestyle.  I hope that when I'm 52, I'm looking as good as Denise Austin!!!  LOL  This is definitely a book to help you achieve your goals!  Recommended!!

Would you like to win a copy of this book?  Hachette Books has kindly offered 5 books for giveaway to some lucky readers of my blog!  Just fill out the form below with your name and email address!  That's it!  The contest will run until February 8.  Sorry, USA/Canada residents only!

So, this isn't my new design that I previously posted about, but I saw this freebie offered by the marvelous Louise of Adori Graphics and I just had to use it!!  Isn't it cute?!  I used Photobucket to add the text and extras to the header and to resize and add text for the widget labels.  What do you think?

I am so excited to share that my new blog design is coming!!  Stay tuned!!!

My Thoughts:

I absolutely adored DEEP END OF THE OCEAN. I thought it was phenomenally written, with raw emotion and deep character development. When I saw that there was a sequel, I was ecstatic!  I've been curious what happened to the beloved Cappadoras'. 

Let me start off with a brief synopsis of the book, courtesy of Amazon.com:

“In the crowded greenroom of a porn-movie production, hundreds of men mill around in their boxers, awaiting their turn with the legendary Cassie Wright. An aging adult film star, Cassie Wright intends to cap her career by breaking the world record for serial fornication by having sex with 600 men on camera—one of whom may want to kill her.

Told from the perspectives of Mr. 72, Mr. 137, Mr. 600, and Sheila, the talent wrangler who must keep it all under control, Snuff is a dark, wild, and lethally funny novel that brings the presence of pornography in contemporary life into the realm of literary fiction.”

This is the first book I’ve read of Palahniuk’s and, given the accolades I’ve heard about him as an author, I was sadly disappointed. I thought it was the most bizarre book I’ve ever read and it took two days of my life that I’ll never get back. The book itself didn’t seem to have much of a plot that I could figure out. It seemed to me that the author tried to imagine every ridiculous situation that he could put into this book just for shock value. It just came off as silly. The ending was just as ridiculous, if not more so than the rest of the book.

I will say that the author’s writing style is very engaging and it is a fast read, but that’s really all the positive emotion I can muster for this particular book. I won’t give up on Palahniuk yet, but I’m going to do a bit more investigating to find his higher rated books next time!

If you’ve read any of Palahniuk’s books, please let me know which ones you’d recommend!

What would you do if you saw your adopted child’s face on a “missing child” postcard? Would you rush to find the truth? Or would you toss the card without a second thought?

LOOK AGAIN explores this very issue. Ellen Gleeson legally adopted Will two years ago, but when she sees his face looking back at her on a “missing child” postcard, she becomes obsessed with finding out the truth. From the very first page, the reader is pulled into Ellen’s world as she struggles to uncover the truth about her son’s adoption and learn more about the child on the postcard. Are they the same boy? What will Ellen do if they are? Can she just walk away knowing she might have another mother’s child?

I found Ellen to be very realistic and believable. I could imagine myself in her situation and struggling with the “what-ifs”. It was utterly heartbreaking to read at times; Ellen’s emotions are so raw that I felt like I was right there with her, experiencing the things she was experiencing, on the brink of tears. I’m not sure that I could be as strong as her character was!

This is a great book; fast-paced, with lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. The end was tidied up quite nicely, although I was a bit surprised by it!

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I am looking forward to reading others! What Scottoline books would you recommend to a new reader of her’s?

My Thoughts:

I almost chose not to review this book on my blog, because I feel that my reading tastes have changed quite a bit lately and I didn't want to give one of my favorite authors a bad review.  But, I have to be honest with what I am feeling, so here goes!!

I have been reading Jill Shalvis for the better part of a decade and I have always enjoyed her romance books. It had been quite a while since I read one of her books, and I really wanted a dose of romance, with Valentine’s Day fast approaching. I just couldn’t get into this book, for some reason. It was a very hot and steamy romance, but the situations the main characters found themselves in were a bit silly, in my opinion. The characters came off as a couple of sex-starved maniacs who thought about sex nonstop, regardless of the fact that their lives were in immediate danger. I know it’s fiction. I know it’s a hot romance. I just found it not at all realistic. I am a fan of romance novels, so I will not give up on them, but it might be awhile before I read another one!

Maybe it's just the "type" of romance book that I now prefer.  I think I'm looking for a little more substance rather than the characters jumping each other every chance they get.  Not to say that there wasn't a storyline in this book - there certainly was.  It just seemed so unrealistic to me that these characters would be thinking about sex so much!  I mean - there are men chasing after them with guns and that seems secondary to the feelings of lust they are experiencing.  I don't know.  I can't explain it well, so I'll just leave it at that.  I'll try again some other time and see if my feelings change!!  I'd still highly recommend Jill's books to any hot romance fan!

Ramblings from a Crazed Book Reader.....

So, I wanted to share an interesting bookish story. During my college years (10+ years ago), I really got into the Harlequin romance books. I joined the book club and had books delivered to me each month. I initially started with the Superromance line, then moved into Temptation, and, finally, Blaze.  After a few years, I wasn’t reading them as much, so I canceled the service. I was seriously into romance novels back then.

Since joining Paperbackswap two years ago, I haven’t been reading as much romance. I recently picked up a book by a beloved romance author and I barely made it through the book. I kept having thoughts like: “Come on! You are hanging off a building and all you can think about is the heroine’s sexy bod??” I mean, seriously? The scenarios just seemed ridiculous to me!

So, what the heck happened to me?! I absolutely adore this author! Have my tastes in books just changed that much? Has anyone else found themselves in this sort of situation? I’m wondering if I should just get rid of the rest of the romance on my shelves or if this is just a phase I’m going through!

I’m really curious what you all think!! Please leave me a comment! Thanks!

When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?

To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife have led her to the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fates of two tribes hangs.

Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating, and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life--first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse--seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever?

The astonishing, breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced millions.

My Thoughts:

In the fourth, and final, installment of the hugely popular Twilight Series, Breaking Dawn follows the exploits of human Bella, vampire Edward, werewolf Jacob, and the supporting cast of characters, including the Cullen vampire coven and Bella’s father, Charlie. I am a fan of the series, but I did not love this book. There were many times that I just said “WTF?” I didn’t understand why the characters did what they did. I can’t really go into detail without giving away plotlines, but this book just left me feeling disappointed. I was happy with the outcome, but the path to the outcome was really bizarre and didn’t make much sense to me. I didn’t feel that the characters were true to who they are and it was a bit frustrating to read at times. That’s really all I can say without spoiling it. I’d give this one 3 stars.

This book falls into the following 2010 challenges:

2010 100+ Reading Challenge

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Since I missed last week’s “Waiting On” pick, I am highlighting two books that I recently discovered that sound very intriguing!  My pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selections are:

The Swimming Pool by Holly LeCraw

Publication Date:  April 5, 2010

“A heartbreaking affair, an unsolved murder, an explosive romance: welcome to summer on the Cape in this powerful debut.

Seven summers ago, Marcella Atkinson fell in love with Cecil McClatchey, a married father of two. But on the same night their romance abruptly ended, Cecil's wife was found murdered—and their lives changed forever. The case was never solved, and Cecil died soon after, an uncharged suspect.

Now divorced and estranged from her only daughter, Marcella lives alone, mired in grief and guilt. Meanwhile, Cecil's grown son, Jed, returns to the Cape with his sister for the first time in years. One day he finds a woman's bathing suit buried in a closet—a relic, unbeknownst to him, of his father's affair—and, on a hunch, confronts Marcella. When they fall into an affair of their own, their passion temporarily masks the pain of the past, but also leads to crises and revelations they never could have imagined.

In what is sure to be the debut of the season, The Swimming Pool delivers a sensuous narrative of such force and depth that you won't be able to put it down.”

AND

Imperfect Birds: A Novel by Anne Lamott

Publication Date:  April 6, 2010

“A powerful and redemptive novel of love and family, from the author of the bestselling Blue Shoe, Grace (Eventually), and Operating Instructions.

Rosie Ferguson is seventeen and ready to enjoy the summer before her senior year of high school. She's intelligent - she aced AP physics; athletic - a former state-ranked tennis doubles champion; and beautiful. She is, in short, everything her mother, Elizabeth, hoped she could be. The family's move to Landsdale, with stepfather James in tow, hadn't been as bumpy as Elizabeth feared.

But as the school year draws to a close, there are disturbing signs that the life Rosie claims to be leading is a sham, and that Elizabeth's hopes for her daughter to remain immune from the pull of the darker impulses of drugs and alcohol are dashed. Slowly and against their will, Elizabeth and James are forced to confront the fact that Rosie has been lying to them-and that her deceptions will have profound consequences.

This is Anne Lamott's most honest and heartrending novel yet, exploring our human quest for connection and salvation as it reveals the traps that can befall all of us.